Acetylene-gas generator.



C. SHAFER.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APP'LIOATION FILED snm'. s, 1910.

Patented May 7, 1912.

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vAGIITYLEIIE GAS GENERATOR.

. APPLIOATION FILED swine, 1910.

Patented Maly '7,- 1912.

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WW1/Lamed attenta?? CLINTON SHAEEE, or UPPER SANDUSKY, onto.

ACTYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specificationl of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 191e.

Application filed September 6, 1910. Serial No. 580,611.

' by unskilled persons.

One object of the invention "is to provide a simple and efficient mechanism by which a measured quantity of carbid will be fed to the generator as the supply of gas is consumed so that the requisite pressure in the service pipes will be automatically main-` tamed. g

The invention also has for its object the provision of simple means by which the loss of carbid will be prevented and the flow of the same when a charge is being delivered to the generator will be automatically arrested.

. These stated objects, and such other incidental objects as will hereinafter appear, are attained in the 1use of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and theinvention consists in certainnovel features of the' same which willl be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings,-Figure 1'is a cent-ral lverticalv section of a generator embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section taken centrally through the carbid holder at a right angle to the plane of the section shown in Fig. 1. F ig.'` 3 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing the carbid dumping mechanism arranged to receive a charge. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the mechanism in the position assumed when delivering a charge to the generator. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the dumping bucket or valve.

My improved generator comprises two tanks, 1 and 2, which maybe supported upon any` convenient form of base and, in

l the drawings, are shown as resting upon the lower ends of their walls with their bottoms 3 arranged some distanceabove said lower ends.. The tank 1 is the generating tanky wall rising from its bottom 3 concentric i* with and spaced from its outer wall and terminating below the upper end of the said outer wall. A-cylinder or inverted cap 5 is arranged within the ytank 1 with its open lower end inserted in the space between lthe inner and outer walls of the said tank and extending a considerable distance below the upper end of the inner wall, vas clearly shown. This cap is secured in fixed relation to thetank by means of brackets or arms 6 secured at intervals to the upper closed end or top 7 of the cap and projecting outwardly therefrom to engage posts 8 rising from the outer wall of the tank.

A carbid holder or hopper 9 is secured in the upper end or top lofthe cap 5 and has its upper end closed by a plug or other closure 10 whereby the carbid placed within the hopper may be protected from the influence o f the atmosphere. The lower end of the hopper or holder 9 is open, as indicated at 11, and extends a short distance into the top of the cap 5. From one side of the lower end of the hopper, a shield or cover plate 12 depends, and this shield or cover lplate is formed on an-arc struck with the pivot 13 of the dumping bucket or valve as a center. Anapron 14 is ysecured in the lowerend of the hopper and extends partly across the same, as clearly shown, while at the side of the hopper opposite the said apron, a swinging valve or closure 15 is hinged, as shown at 16, and this valve or cut-off plate is of such dimensions as to extend J@in its closed position to the edge of theapron 14 whereby the passage of the carbid from the hopper will be prevented, as Will-be readily undermovements so that the delivery of a Ineasured charge to the generating tank will be j assured. The pivot pin 13'is secured in and extends between guards 18 secured to theunder side of the top 7 of the cap, and these guards are 'each of greater area than and t closely against the respective side walls or loo flanges 17 of the dumping valve and extend beyond the edges of the same, as shown clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, whereby the valve -prevent loss of the carbid and overcharging- 5 ofthe tank,by reason of the carbid spilling or sifting laterally over the sides of the hopper,V or the valve.

l 1. The body lof the dumping valve or bucket isiprovided in its-upper-portion with two lo other and extending to the surface of the body whereby 'a pocket is formed Iadapted to receiv the carbid' from thehopperand hold the same until such time as the valve is tilted upon the pivot 13 to the o sition shownin Fig. 4, whereupon the carbid-will i be discharged into the water in thegenerating tank.- The surface of the body between the side wallsjor flanges 17 and.beyond the with the pivot 13, andv is adapted to fit snugly against the plate 12, as `shown in Fig. 3, whereby the accidental delivery of carbid over the edge o f the valve will be prevented.- The surface of the dumping bucket or valvein rea'r of the face- 19 is also curved, as shown at 22, so that the said surface may ride easily under the cut-oill valve 15 as the bucket is oscillated, whereby in the dumping position of the bucket, shown in .Fig 4, the cut-of valve will be swung upward so as to bring its edge close to the edge of the apron 14 and Athereby prevent further.

flow of the carbid until the bucket has been swun to permit the edge of the face 19 to clear the edge of thecut-od valve 15, whereupon the said valve will drop'into. the pocket and permit carbid to flow from the hopper-into .the pocket, as will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 3. K

The bucket is provided with a central perforated lug or arm 23 in Irear of the pocket formed by the faces 19 and 20, and to the said lug is pivotally connected the upper end of a link 24. This link 24 extends downward within the generating tank `to a point below a sheathing tube 25 secured in and depending from the top 7 of the cap 5 and it 1s then extended upward through the said tube in a branch 26 having its upper end pivoted to one end of a lever 27 which is fulcrumed on a post or bracket 28 secured to and rising from! the tanks 1 and 2. The end of the lever 27, opposite to the end connected with thelink 26, has a pin and slot engage- .ment with a stem 29 rising from the gas'- ometer bell 30. which is arranged fconcen# trically within the holding tank `2, as clearly shown. It will, be readily seen that as the pressure of the gas within' the 4tank 2 increases, the bell will rise and, consequent-ly, cause the lever 27 to rock upon its fulcrum vand thereby move the links 24iand 26 downward within the generating tank. A downfaces 19 and20 arranged at an angle to eachy bid in the bucket will be delivered to the face 20 lis curved, asshown at 21`L concentric in the reverse'direction far enough *dumping bucket will be turned to the position shown inFig. 4 and the charge' of car- V75 water in the lgenerating tank.

. The tanks are filled with water to a point above the upper end of the inner wall 4 of the generating tank so that a perfect water seal will be formed around the cap 5 and the gasometer" bell to prevent the escape of gas. around the same, as will be readily understood.4 A gas pipe 31 has its open upper \end`arranged above the water level in the generating tank, andl the said pipe eX tends through the bottom of the generating tank across to al point below the bottom of the holding tank and then up within the said tank and the bell whereby the gas generated within the tank 1 Will be permitted to escape into the space above the water level in the bell where it may'may collect. This gas pipe is provided with a check valve 32 `which will permit the gasto iow into the gasometer orlholding' tank, but will prevent itsflow in the reverse direction so that it cannot return to the generating tank. A

. service pipe 33a leads from the space below the top of the gasometer bell through the bottom of theholding tank, and a branch 34 of this pipe leads to the point of consumption. `The branch 34 is connected to the service pipe by a coupling 35, and from the side of the said coupling opposite the service pipe, pipes 36 and 33 lead into the generating tank where the pipe 33 communicates with the pipe 31 through a coupling 37. A water seal or trap 38 is provided between the pipes 33 and 36 so as to normally prevent the iiow of gas through said pipes. The gas flowing through the pipe 31 and valv'e 32 frequently carries more or less solid matter with it and this together with impurities in the gas often corrodes or 115 chokes the valve 32 so that it may at times fail to open and then an excess pressure of gas is generated within the cap 5, wherevby the gas pressure' within thel generator exceeds 'the `normal and may )rove disas- 120.

trous to the structure. Under these circum- 'stances the water seal 38 will yield to perment of its parts so that there is no complicated mechanism which is liable .to get out of order, and a measuredv charge -of carbid will be delivered tothe body Vof water in the generating tank as the gas is. used so that only so much gas will be produced as is necessary to maintain the supply. 'Ihearrangement of the side flanges 17 of the dumping bucket, the guards 18,' and the shield 12 effectually prevent the moisturewithin the generating tank reaching the supply of carbid within the hopper so that deterioration of the said supply will beprevented. rllhe device is entirely automatic in its operation and the carbid is retained within the hopper until the gasometer bell rises 'under the pressure of the generated gas. The dumping bucket will then be turned sufficiently to permit lthe cut-off' valve in the hopper to drop vso that a quan-v tity of the carbid suiicient to fill the popket in the dumping bucket may escape therefrom. At this time, however, the bucket is in such a position that no carbid 'can escape from any portion of the same into the water and, consequently, there will be no over production of the gas. As the pressure of the gas diminishes andthe gasometer bell falls, the bucket will be tiltedjto the position shown in Fig. 4, and the charge of carbid previously delivered theretowill bel discharged into the water in the generating tank. At this time the curved' surface 22 of the dumping bucket will be bearing against the cut-oli valve 15 so that the said valve will be forced up into the end of the hopperand; consequently, there will be no escape' of carbid from the hopper, 'and an overcharge of the generator cannot occur.

To clean the apparatus, it isnecessary merely to lift thecap and theball from their respective .tanks to obtain access to all the parts. The removal ofthe pin orscrew connecting the lever 27 with the stem 29 permits the bell to be lifted from the holding tank and pins 39 which holdthe cap to the generating t nk may be easily removed from the posts topermit the cap to be lifted.

As the connecting pipes are below the bottoms of the tanks, stoppages or leaks therein maybe repaired without dismantling the entire apparatus.

While I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment. thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, land that suchchanges mayI be made as are within the scope of thev claims appended hereto., v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is Y dumping bucket.

1. In an acetylene gas generator, a generating tank, a hopper inthe upper end of the generating tank, a cut oil' valve in the', lower end of the hopper mounted to turn 'upon an axis adjacent one edge of the valve,

a rockable dumping bucket within the tank below'the hopper provided with a portion positioned to underride the valve to move it into .full closed position with relation to the hopper, and means for rocking the 2. In an acetylene gas generator, a generating tank, a hopper thereon, a swinging cut ofi' valve in the lower end of the hopper, a tiltable bucket below the' hopper and provided with a curved portion adapted to engage the swinging out oft' valve to move the same to the closed position, and means for tilting the bucket in one direct-ion to release thecut oifvalve to discharge a measured chargefrom the hopper into the bucket and for moving the bucket in the other direction to discharge said bucket into the generating tank and .simultaneously close the valve.

3. The combination of a generator tank, a hopper in the upper end of the same, an apron extending partly across the lower end ofthe hopper, a shield dependingvfrom the hopper adjacent the said apron, aout-oft valve in the lower end of the hopper adapted to extend toA 4the said apron, a tiltable bucket` mounted below the hopper and having a curved portion bearing againstv t-he shield, a second -curved portion bearing against the cut-olf valve,'and a pocket between the two said curved portions adapted to-receive a charge from the hopper, and means for automatically tilting the said bucket. l

4. TheA combination of a generator tank, a

hopper in the upper end ofthe same, an

apron extending partly across the lower .end

Vof the hopper, a shield depending from the hopperfadjacent the said apron, a icut-off valve in` the-lower end Vof the hopper adapted to extend to the said apron, guards below 'the hopper at oppositesides of t-he same and thel shield depending therefrom, a tiltable bucket mounted below the hopper between saidgards and having a'curved portion bearing against thecut-o valve, and

a pocket between the two said curved portions adapted to receive a charge from the hopper, and means for automatically tilting the said bucket. v

5. The combination of aigenerator tank, a

hopper in the upper end of ,the same, an apron' extending partly across the lower end of the hopper, a shield depending from the' ho per adjacent the said apron, a cut-off va ve in the lower end of thehopper adapted to" extend to lthe said a ron, guards below the ho per at opposite'sidhs of the same and .the vsh1eld depending therefrom, a tiltablebucket mounted below the hopper between said guards and having a curved portion bearing 'against the cut-olf valve, and a pocket between the two said curved portions In testimony, that I claim the foregoing adapted to receive a-charge from thehopper, as my own, I have hereto aixed my slgna- 10 ghe bucket being further prgvided with side ture 1n the presence of two witnesses.

anges extendingl upward eyond the ends f T 5 of the pocketand thelower endof 'the hop- CLINTOL SHAFER' Vper and bearing against the-,sides of the Witnesses: hopper bet-Ween'the guards, and means forY l W. P. ROWLAND, automatically tilting the said bucket, IRA S. FAILoR. 

